Oak Harbor’s Blake Booker named Bay’s top player

Oak Harbor 5-foot-10 senior guard Blake Booker was named Sandusky Bay Conference Bay Division Most Outstanding Player after averaging 19.4 points, and is a unanimous first team selection.

“Blake is well deserving of this honor, he has put many hours into his game over the years. His skill set was on full display this season,” Oak Harbor coach Eric Sweet said. “The SBC Bay Division has many great players in it and it is a great honor for Blake to receive this award. He is the best shooter I have ever coached in my career. He is an outstanding young man and one that I had the honor to coach.”

Booker grew up on South Bass Island, playing basketball for Put-In-Bay his freshman year, and then joined the Oak Harbor squad his sophomore year.

Oak Harbor finished second in the league at 12-8 overall and 7-3 in conference play, while Willard (16-5, 8-2) won the title even though both of the Flashes’ league losses came to the Rockets. Oak Harbor 6-2 junior wing T.J. Hallett (11.1 pts.) is second team.

In the SBC River Division, Gibsonburg 6-6 junior post Aidan McGough is first team after averaging 13.9 points. The Golden Bears finished the regular season 10-9 overall and 8-8 in the league. Old Fort (18-3, 14-2) and Tiffin Calvert (18-4, 14-2) shared the league title, with Old Fort junior Colin Nutter (19 pts.) named the league’s best player. Gibsonburg junior Tyler Henderson (8.8 pts.) is second team and senior Mitchell Tille (8.8 pts.) is honorable mention.

Oak Harbor 5-9 junior guard Ryann Steinbrick was named second team All-SBC Bay after averaging 12 points and 5-11 senior post Auna Tack was honorable mention after averaging 11.9 points. In the River Division, Gibsonburg 5-9 senior guard Kayli Schneider (7.1 points) is honorable mention.

In the Northern Buckeye Conference, Rossford 5-11 senior guard CamRon Gaston is the Player of the Year and first team and his teammate, 6-4 junior wing Ben Morrison, an Oregon resident, is also first team. They are joined on the first team by Woodmore 6-2 senior forward Hunter Allen and Eastwood 6-3 junior forward Jacob Meyer.

The outright league champion Bulldogs, 19-2 overall and 13-1 in the NBC, are ranked fourth in the Associated Press Division II poll and were to play Rogers for a sectional championship Friday night. 

The Bulldogs are followed in the league by Eastwood (13-8, 9-4), Woodmore (13-9, 8-6), Otsego (8-12, 6-7), Elmwood (12-10, 6-8), Genoa (7-15, 6-8), Fostoria (11-10, 5-9) and Lake (5-17, 2-12). 

Second team selections include Eastwood 6-0 senior shooting guard Isaac Badenhop, Genoa 6-1 senior forward Jacob Emerson and Woodmore senior Zach Hunt. 

HM picks include Woodmore junior Aaron Miller, Woodmore 5-11 senior guard Aaron Sandrock, Lake 6-5 junior forward Cam Hoffman, Eastwood 5-9 sophomore guard Case Boos, Rossford 6-5 junior post Gavin Dewese, Rossford sophomore 6-3 sophomore wing Jake Morrison, Lake 6-2 senior forward Jalen Smith, Eastwood 6-1 junior guard Lake Boos and Genoa 5-10 senior  guard Trevor Wasserman.